Joseph ackermann



(No Model.)'

J. AOKERMANN. AUTOMATIC DISENGAGING DEVICE FOR ATMOSPHERIC BRAKES,

No. 532,745. Patgnted Jan. 22, 1895.

I I m: mums PETERS co. Pnmuuma. WASHINGTON. n. cy

-NtED JOSEPH AOKERMANN, or EITORF, GERMANY.

AUTOMATIC DISENGAGING DEVICE FOR ATMOSPHERIC BRAKES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 532,745, dated January 22, 1895.

Application filed June 16, 1894. Serial No. 514,801. (No model.)

To allwhom it may concerns Be it known that I, J osEPH AGKERMANN, a subject of the King of Prussia, residing at Eitorf-on-the-Sieg, in the Kingdom of Prussia,

German Empire, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Automatic Disengaging Devices for Atmospheric Brakes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic disengaging devices for atmospheric brakes such as Carpenter or Westinghouse brakes and the object is to provide means for setting the brakes automatically in case of extraordinary longitudinal and lateral undulations of the locomotives and railway cars, and also in the case of brakes of tires and rails, of derailments, sunken spots and the like.

The invention is represented in the accompanying drawings. I

Figures 1 and 3 show the general arrangement, while Fig. 2 represents apart thereof in side View. a

The apparatus consists of a U -shaped water level a, above which is arranged a scale-beam b, the lever-arms c c of which carry floats d (1. These floats rest upon the liquid contained in the water-level and they follow the changes of the level of the liquid in the two arms of the water-level, the latter being rigidly connected to the railway-car. The scale-beam b is connected in any suitable manner preferably at its support to the positive pole of an electric battery, and carries on its outer end spiral springs e e. Above the latter and rigidly secured to the car there are provided contact screws f f arranged in any suitable guides, the distance of which screws from the spiral springs e e may be regulated by means of the threads of the screws f f. The latter are connected with the negative pole of an electric battery. If the undulations of the cars increase, the spiral spring and contact screw will touch each other, whereby the circuit is closed. This current acts on a magnet 9 (Fig. 3), so that the armature h is attracted.

The armature h, the fulcrum of which is at i, supports a stop lever it, which engages a rod 4% actuated bya spiral spring Z. This disengaging device may of course be substituted by any other suitable arrangement fit for the intended purpose.

When the armature h is attracted by the magnet g its upper end becomes disengaged from the stop lever 70, and the latter is pulled downward by the spiral spring n. The rodm is thus released and under the effect of the spring Zit is pushed forward. The rod m may communicate by any suitable means, with the air cock of the brake. The air cock of the brake is therefore opened as soon as the CH- cuit is closed in the apparatus.

It is advantageous to put into thecircuit all the apparatus of the whole train, so that in the case of an accident on onesolecar all the brakes are immediately put in action.

As a liquid I employ preferably glycerine mixed with water or mercury and in accordance with the nature of this liquid the material and measuresare to be selected.

At sudden short andviolent shocks the spiral springs permit a sufficient closure of the circuit for causing the magnet to act. The contact screws are regulated in such a manher, that on ordinary normal undulations of the car the circuit will not be closed.

I claim- In a device for automatically setting the brakes of cars, aliquid receptacle, abeam balance, floats suspended therefrom and depending into the receptacle, contact pieces f, in proximity to the beam ends and electrical connections extending from said beam and contact pieces, and means controlled by the 

